ABBY
I have no idea what time it is when I wake up, and I rub my eyes before groaning and rolling off my makeshift bed of hay.
While it definitely couldn't be described as comfortable, it wasn't as bad as I thought. I managed to get at least a few hours of sound sleep, even if I woke up several times to roll over or readjust.
The barn is still dark, and I flip on my flashlight with a sigh.
I've got a pretty good internal clock, and I'm confident it's early morning. I should get moving before whoever owns this place gets started on their day. I'd rather not explain why I'm here if I don't have to.
My knees crack as I stand, and I put my knotted hair up in a loose braid before slipping on my shoes and double-checking that everything is still in my backpack. Nothing looks amiss, so I make my way to the door I snuck in last night and crack it open.
The sun is beginning to rise, casting just enough glow for me to see my surroundings. I couldn't make out anything last night, but now I notice the acres of land surrounding the barn I'm taking haven in. The area off in the distance looks like plowed fields, and there's another, larger barn on the other side of the house.
The land immediately surrounding the house is clearly used as a backyard. There's a children's playset by the back door, the slide and swing identical to what I'd expect to see in the human realm.
I also spot a long row of what looks like berry bushes about a hundred yards away, but it's surrounded by open land and in direct view of the house. If I tried going over to steal some, I'd definitely get caught.
I turn off my flashlight and shove it into my bag before slowly stepping outside. I don't see or hear anybody, but I still keep close to the barn as I slink around the side closest to the bundle of trees I ran through last night.
There's an open plot of land between the barn and the trees, which didn't feel as dangerous to cross last night as it does in the morning light, and I pray I don't get caught as I take off in a sprint across it.
I don't think my legs have ever moved as quickly as they do now, and my breath comes out in loud pants as I slam my body into the nearest tree and hide behind the trunk. I've never been a thrill seeker, and the adrenaline coursing through my body does not feel good.
In fact, it feels the opposite of good.
I continue hiding between the trees while I catch my breath. The sprint took it out of me, but the second I no longer feel like I'm dying, I weave through the trees until I reach the front of the house. There's another patch of open grass that leads to the road, and I peer around to ensure the coast is clear before making another run for it.
This one's just as hurried as before, and only once I reach the road do I slow. I keep a fast pace until the house is out of sight, terrified somebody will come and arrest me for trespassing. I don't want to learn what faerie prison is like.
The sun gradually rises as I resume walking, and only once it's entirely up do I stop to remove my sweatshirt and take some freeze-dried food from my bag. I didn't anticipate having to do this much walking when I packed, and I'm beginning to grow worried I will run out of food sooner than expected.
My water bottle is already empty. Well, mostly.
There are a sad few drops remaining inside, but I'm waiting until I'm truly desperate to drink them. Dehydration is a painful way to go, and I want to try and drag out my remaining water for as long as possible.
I finished the water I was given at the restaurant Samuel brought me to yesterday, so that should hold me over for a little while. As long as I keep my sweating to a minimum, I hope I'll be okay.
My hips and thighs are sore from yesterday's walking, but if I play my cards right, I should be in Janta by the end of the day. It didn't look too large on the map, especially when compared to the size of Elora, so I don't anticipate I'll have to do too much walking once I reach it.
I'll linger around the city center until I reserve a spot on one of those vehicles Samuel was talking about. I'm hoping it's a bus or something similar. The cost should be lower if it's a vehicle equipped to hold several dozen people.
If it's a rideshare service with only me and a driver, I might be screwed.
I should've asked Samuel more about this. That would've been a smart move, and it would've saved me from all this possibly needless anxiety.
Still, I don't regret the things I did ask. Knowing about faerie mates and seeing the map was a huge help. Plus, I plan to use the whole glove thing to my benefit.
I should be planning how to proceed once I get to Janta, but I figure it's best to wait until I have a better idea of what getting to Elora will look like. I'm hoping I can find somebody to tell me more about Elora while I'm there, too.
Finding Samuel was easy enough.
The sun continues to heat the air, causing me to sweat away so much of my precious water storage. I try and stick to whatever side of the road has the most shade, but there are long stretches with none. It's not ideal, and I cringe when I duck into a small wooded area to relieve myself and see just how yellow my pee is.
I still feel okay, but the color isn't a good sign.
Nothing I can do about it now, though. I finish the last remaining sips of my water and eat a granola bar before continuing.
Every muscle in my body gradually grows achy, even worse than yesterday, but I push through. This is beyond exhausting, but whenever I feel like laying down and accepting death, I remind myself that I'm doing this for Lill.
She'll die if I don't get the Delysum tea, and I'll be damned if I let that happen.
I'd do anything for her, even entering some magic realm few humans know exists and hunting down the one item she needs to survive.
I'd do it a thousand times over if I needed to.
If all goes well, we can make it a yearly trip. She opens a portal for me, preferably one significantly closer to Elora, and I sneak in and buy her the tea. Maybe I'll even find a mate, too.
That'd be pretty awesome.
I like the idea of some guy being magically chosen as my perfect match. The fact that Samuel even wanted to touch me means it can happen between faeries and humans.
Plus, if some guy is destined to be obsessed with me, he'll probably be willing to help Lill. He could keep her stocked up on tea. It'd be a win-win.
Hours pass with nothing but me and the road, but eventually I spot some taller buildings in the distance. They look about the same size as the ones back in the old town I never bothered to learn the name of, confirming the two cities are about the same size.
The buildings grow larger the closer I get, and by the time I finally reach what I'd assume is the city proper, the sun is just beginning to set.
It's good timing. I'd have hated sleeping in some stranger's barn for another night. Once was enough for me, and I hope to find a nice grass patch in a park or a dirty mattress tossed on the roadside.
The dirty mattress is wishful thinking, but a girl can dream.
My anxiety grows as I enter the city. I'm paranoid about my messy appearance, worried it will draw unwanted attention.
There are significantly more faeries out and about than before, and I do my best to avoid them as I make my way to the center of town. I'm sure I smell like absolute shit at this point, and I keep my eyes peeled for anything that looks like it could be a public bathroom.
The trend of unlabeled buildings and large, dark glass storefronts is continued here, which isn't what I was hoping for. I'd kill for a billboard or sign right about now.
Eventually, I find a fairly large public park, and I beeline straight for the small standalone building in the center of it. It's either a public bathroom or a community building, and I could practically cry tears of joy when I spot a woman and young child exit through one of the side doors.
The young girl has wet hands, and she wipes them on her dress as she follows the adult woman toward a playground a few hundred yards away. She clearly just washed them, so this must be a bathroom.
My pace falters as I look at the young girl, her long white hair and vibrant purple eyes bringing up hundreds of thousands of memories of playing with Lill as a child. That's exactly what she looked like back when she was healthy.
The woman doesn't seem to notice me as she leads the child away, and I wait until they're a good distance away before hurrying into the bathroom. To my complete relief, it's a single-person room, and I lock the door before sagging against it.
This is arguably the cleanest public bathroom I've ever been inside, but I'm too exhausted to admire it. Besides, I'm not even that surprised. The faeries seem to have everything under control here, and I'm quickly learning their realm is significantly better than the human one.
I double-check that the door is locked before dropping my bag onto the ground and stripping naked. There's a sink along the far wall, and I can use it to clean myself.
My hands shake as I peer into the mirror above the sink, and I cringe as I get a good look at myself. I look like I've spent two days and two nights out in the wilderness, and it's not flattering. The braid I put in my hair this morning is half undone, and it's clear the strands haven't seen a brush in a while.
My skin is covered in dirt from having walked along the road for so long, too.
Sighing, I lean forward and pull a piece of hay out of my hair. Gross.
I lift the faucet handle and adjust the water temperature before pulling a wash rag out of my bag. It's comically tiny since I didn't have much room left in my bag when I packed it, but it'll do the job. I didn't think to pack soap, so I just use what's in the bathroom dispenser.
If it's good enough for my hands, it's good enough for my armpits and face.
I take my time to wash myself thoroughly, wanting to get all the grime and sweat off me. The faeries seem so well-kept, and I doubt they'll want much to do with a smelly, dirty human.
Once I'm finished washing my body, I refill, drink, and refill my water bottle again.
The water tastes alright, and I pour in one of my hydration packets to ensure all of today's sweating doesn't fuck me up.
My dirty underwear is next, and I wash the pair I shoved into my bag yesterday before also washing the pair I wore today. It feels so good to scrub them, and I hang them over my bag to dry before cleaning the tank top I wore today.
I'll wear my sweatshirt while it dries, and I'll wait until it's dark and the park is empty before taking the risk of washing my leggings and socks. I don't want to be spotted walking around in nothing but my sweatshirt and red thong.
It doesn't send a good image.
I slide fresh underwear and my dirty leggings back on before getting to work on my hair. I brought a cheap black comb with me, and I spend a good ten minutes dragging it through my hair in a sad attempt to get out the knots.
It would've been good to cut my hair before coming here.
Eventually, it's manageable, and I stick my head under the sink and hope the provided bathroom soap doesn't fuck up my hair as I lather it into my scalp.
Five minutes later, I'm feeling beyond refreshed. This is precisely what I needed, and I emerge from the bathroom feeling victorious. It's safe to say I will be returning to this bathroom several times, and I slip on my backpack as I scope out a place to sleep tonight.
My real work begins tomorrow, and I need to be well-rested.
____
I promise she meets her men soon
Read one chapter ahead for free on Patreon, and subscribe to read 5 chapters ahead! Learn more at: patreon.com/inviwright